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Cascaded Multilevel Inverter

Aim
To simulate a cascaded multilevel inverter and to analyse its waveform.

Introduction
The multilevel inverters have drawn tremendous interest in the power industry. They present a new set of features that
are well suited for use in reactive power compensation. The unique structure of multilevel voltage source inverters’
allows them to reach high voltages with low harmonics without the use of transformers or series-connected
synchronized switching devices. As the number of voltage levels increases, the harmonic content of the output voltage
waveform decreases significantly.

Cascaded Multilevel Inverters

A cascaded multilevel inverter consists of a series of H-bridge (single-phase, full bridge) inverter units. The general
function of this multilevel inverter is to synchronize a desire voltage from several separate dc sources (SDCSs), which
may be obtained from batteries, fuel cells, or solar cells. Each SDCS is connected to an H-bridge inverter. The ac
terminal voltages of different level inverters are connected in series. Unlike the diode-clamp or flying-capacitors
inverter, the cascaded inverter does not require any voltage clamping diodes or voltage balancing capacitors.

Principle of Operation
Figure(b) shows the synchronized phase voltage waveform of a five-level cascaded inverter with four SDCSs. The phase
output voltage is synchronized by the sum of four inverter outputs. Each inverter level can generate three different
voltage outputs, by connecting the dc source to the ac output side by different combinations of the four switches. If Ns
is the number of dc sources, the output phase voltage level is M = Ns + 1. Thus a five-level cascaded inverter needs four
SDCSs and four full bridges. Controlling the conducting angles at different inverter levels can minimize the harmonic
distortion of the output voltage. The output voltage of the inverter is almost sinusoidal, and it has less than 5% total
harmonic distribution (THD) with each of the H-bridge switching only at fundamental frequency. If the phase current
is sinusoidal and leads or lags the phase voltage by 900 , the average charge to each dc capacitor is equal to zero over
one cycle. Therefore, all SDCS capacitor voltages can be balanced.
Each H-bridge unit generates a quasi-square waveform by phase shifting its positive and negative phase-leg switching
timings. It should be noted that each switching device always conducts for 1800 (or half cycle), regardless of the pulse
width of the quasi-square wave. This switching method makes all of the switching device current stresses equal.

Features of Cascaded Multilevel Inverter

The main features are as follows:

1. For real power conversions from ac to dc and then dc to ac, the cascaded inverters need separate dc sources.
The structure of separate dc sources is well suited for various renewable energy sources such as fuel cell, PV
and bio-mass.
2. Connecting dc sources between two converters in back-to-back fashion is not possible because a short circuit
can be introduces when two back-to-back converters are not switching synchronously.

The major advantages are as follows:

1. Compared to diode-clamped and flying-capacitors inverters, it requires the least number of components to
achieve the same number of voltage levels.
2. Optimized circuit layout and packaging are possible because each level has the same structure and there are no
extra clamping diodes or voltage-balancing capacitors.

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3. Soft-switching techniques can be used to reduce switching losses and device stresses.

The major disadvantages are as follows:

1. It needs separate dc sources for real power conversions, thereby limiting its applications.

Procedure

1. The components are connected as shown in the figure.

2. The firing circuits are started followed by the MOSFETs.
3. The output waveform is recorded and compared with a standard sinusoidal wave of similar frequency.

Result
A cascaded multilevel MOSFET inverter was simulated using Multisim and its waveform was compared with a standard
sinusoidal wave of similar frequency.

[http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-541Eo9w0GW4/VHlehIQ-
XCI/AAAAAAAAAE4/dc0ce4bdWuY/s1600/pe1.jpg]

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[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
sxJGqRNdNls/VHleltOnamI/AAAAAAAAAFA/9huEVry5LYA/s1600/pe2.jpg]

[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
TTmogMlunOU/VHlem5jOEFI/AAAAAAAAAFI/hB6OeuLrpSU/s1600/pe3.png]
Circuit designed on Multisim.

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[http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-
sT5VTcoHMgg/VHleoixfXPI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/Genw7m6sA4c/s1600/pe4.png]

Output of the inverter compared to a sinusoidal wave of similar frequency.

Here is the Multisim file [https://www.dropbox.com/s/u7s0fjg26qhpz1r/CascadedInverter.ms12?dl=0] I have designed.

References

Power Electronics: Circuits, Devices and Applications, Third Edition, Muhammad H. Rashid.
Multisim

Posted 29th November 2014 by Pranav Shenoy

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